Can-vent-soldering machine.



E. U DIUKEY,

CAN VENT SOLDERING MACHINE. APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 19, 1909.

9 5? 1 4 7 Patented. May 3, 1910.

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ELMER C. DICKEY, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA.

CAN-VENT-SOLDERING MACHINE.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 19, 1909.

Patented May 3, 1910.

Serial No. 484,492.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, En'nnn C. DICKEY, citizen of the United States,residing at Kolromo, in the county of Howard and State of Indiana, haveinvented a new and useful Can-Vent-Soldering ltlachine, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in can vent solderingmachines and its object is to provide an automatically operated devicefor applying solder to the vents of a can containing material to bepreserved so as to hermetically seal said can, the said soldering of thevent completing the operation of sealing the goods within the can.

In accordance with the present invention the cans after receiving thematerial to be preserved, and after having the top applied and ha ingbeen subjected to any other treatment prior to the final sealing, aredelivered to the structure forming the subject matter of the presentinvention and by the operation of feeding the cans to the presentmachine cause the actuation of the present machine to apply a smallquantity of solder to the vent in the cover of a can to finally completethe sealing thereof.

In the preferred form of the invention there is provided a circularrotatable series of soldering irons or coppers which are brought oneafter the other in regular se quence into operative engagement with therespective ones of a passing series of cans and each. iron or copperbrings drop of solder into engagement with the metal of the cover of thecan at the vent and deposits sufiicient solder thereon to close the ventand so to seal the can. The coppers are kept at the proper heat by meansof burning fluid internally applied thereto and provision is made forthe application of solder to the soldering iron prior to its movementinto engagement with the can, the solder being applied preferably in thestring form and in regulated quantity both for the appearance of thefinished job and for economical reasons. Furthermore, provision is madeby the present invention for a suitable movement of the solderingcoppers when in engagement with the cans to cause the distribution anduniting of the solder with all parts of the vent and the deposition ofsuiiicientsolder to surely close the vent. The operation of solderingthe cans and of feeding the solder is entirely automatic being under thecontrol of the oncoming cans to be sealed, but since it is advisable to00- casionally treat the soldering coppers with a suitable flux orcleansing fiuid the invention also includes a manually operated meansfor causing the coppers at any de sired time to be treated at theirpoints with a bath of suitable fluid. While this operation could beautomatic it is preferred that it be at the volition of the operator.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detail description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings Figurel is a central section with parts in elevation of the vent solderingmachine. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a central section onan enlarged scale of one of the soldering coppers shown in Fig. 1. Fig.t is a detail view showing partly in elevation and partly in section thecleansing bath receptacle and some of the adjacent parts. Fig. 5 is adetail view of a portion of the track used in the machine with amanually operated gate for permitting the soldering coppers to be dippedinto the cleansing bath. Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line AB ofFig. 5. Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line C-D of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is adetail view of a portion of the track for supporting the solderingcoppers and showing a depression therein for permitting the coppers tomove into engagement with the can. Fig. 9 is a cross section on the lineEF of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, there are shown two opposed track members 1and 2 upon which travels a conveyor chain 3 having spaced cross pieces 4for engaging cans indicated in dotted lines at The track and chain neednot differ materially or at all from the tracks and conveyer chains forcans as used in existing forms of can han dling machines and theinvention is applicable to various types of machines wherein the cannedgoods are subjected to the necessary treatment preparatory to the finalscaling of the can at the vent. It is at this pointthat. the presentinvention applies.

Fast upon one of the tracks, say the track 1, is a bracket 6 and thisbracket carries a post 7 which may be secured thereto by a set screw 8.After extending a distance above the bracket. 6 the post 7 is reduced indiameter as shown at 9 and to this reduced portion 9 there is applied asleeve 10 which is free to turn thereon. Secured to the lower end of thesleeve 10 by means of a set screw or a number of set screws 11 is theelongated hub 12 of a star wheel 13, the arms 14 of which radiate fromthe lower end of the hub and this hub is of such length as to extendalong that portion of the post 7 of larger diameter until within closerelation to the bracket 6 so that the arms 14 radiate in a horizontalplane and are capable of moving over the track section 11 in closerelation thereto. These arms are of such length as to be engaged by acan 5 moving along the track so as to cause the rotation of the starwheel 13 by the successive engagement of the cans 5 with the respectivearms 14 as the series of cans are moved along the tracks 12.

The upper end of the sleeve 10 has secured to it an elongated hub 15 bymeans of one or more set screws 16, and from the hub 15 there radiate anumber of arms 17 each terminating in a downwardly extending neck 18through which as well as through the respective arms there is formed avertical passage for a purpose which will presently appear. Extendingthrough each passage in each arm 17 and neck 18 is a tube or pipe 19carrying at the upper end above the respective arms 17 a pinion 20,being connected to the neck of the pinion by being screwed thereto. Ofcourse other means of connecting the pipe and pinion together may beused. To the lower end of the tube 19 there is secured a solderingcopper 21 provided at its base end with a neck 22 receiving the tube 19and this neck carries a thumb screw 23 by means of which the solderingcopper is removably connected to the tube 19. The head of the solderingcopper is made hollow and near the butt end thereof are a number ofperforations 24 connecting the interior of the soldering copper with theexternal air. Extending entirely through the tube 19 is a pipe 25entering the interior of the head 21 of the soldering copper and thereprovided with a suitable nozzle 26. This pipe 25 extends also upwardlythrough the pinion 20 and for a distance above the same for a purposewhich will presently appear. The exterior diameter of the pipe 25 issomewhat less than the interior diameter of the pipe 19 so that there isno material frictional engagement between the two pipes and the pipe 19may freely move longitudinally on the pipe 25.

The upper end of the reduced portion 9 of the post 7 above the sleeve 10is made hollow as indicated at 27 and near the lower end this hollowportion has its walls perforated as indicated at 28. Surrounding theperforated end of the hollow portion 27 is a drum 29 in which is achamber 30 closed in by a top 31 screwed into said drum and both thedrum 29 and the top 31 are formed with axial, externally threaded necks32 and 33 respectively, through which necks the post 7 extends. The neck33 receives a gasket 34 confining packing 35 to the neck 33 and the neck32 receives a. gasket 36 confining packing" 37 thereto. The gasket 36 isconnected to the hub 15 at the upper end thereof by means of pins 38 sothat the gasket and drum 29 are supported by the hub 15 and constrainedto rotate therewith by means of the pins 38.

The upper end of each pipe 25 is connected by an ell 39 to a pipe 40radiating from and communicating with the interior of the drum 29. Bythis means the chamber 30 is in constant communication with the pipes 25and nozzles 26, so that gas or burning fluid entering through the hollowsection 27 of the post 7 will find its way into the chamber 30 throughthe perforations 28 and ultimately into the pipes 25 through the shortconnecting pipes 40 and will finally discharge through the nozzles 26into the interior of the respective soldering coppers 21. This burningfluid being lighted will readily heat the active ends of the solderingcoppers and by the use of a. suitable valve (not shown) in the fluidconduit leading to the hollow section 27 the degree of heat generated inthesoldering coppers may be definitely determined. The drum 29 is causedto rotate with the soldering coppers and the supports therefor but thejoints between the drum 29 and the section of the post 7 which the drumimmediately surrounds are made fluid tight by the packing provided.

Secured to the hollow section 27 of the post 7 above the drum 29 is ahub 41, made fast to the said hollow section 27 by one or more setscrews 42. From this hub radiate a number of arms 43 curved downward inthe form shown in Fig. 1, and there carrying at the free ends a circulartrack 44, on the lower portion of the inner face of which is formed acontinuous series of gear teeth 45, constituting a circular rack. Thisrack is engaged by the pinions 20 and, the rack being stationary, thepinions are caused to rotate when the arms 17 are rotated by theengagement of the cans 5 with the arms 14 of the star wheel 13.

Pivotally connected to the hub 15, or if desired to each arm 17 is anarm 46 extending over and substantially parallel to the respective arms17. The outer end of each ;arm is provided with a perforation 47 throughwhich extends a tube 19 and engaging with the upper surface of the arm47 at the outer end thereof is the respective one of the pinions 20.Each arm 46 has rising from it between its pivoted end and where it istraversed by the pipe 19 an extension 48 having its free end curved soas to overhang the outer end of the arm 46. The 1 any suitable acid orflux used for the purcurved portion of the extension l8 is provided withan elongated slot l9 tor the ias of the pipes without engaging the saidextension 48. The outer or free end of the extension l8 is formed withears 50 for the reception of the spindle ot' a roller 51, which rollerengages with the upper edge ot the track la, which latter upholds thearm 46 through the roller and extension l8. and so sustains the weightof the soldering copper 21 with its tube 19 and pinion 20. The solderingcoppers t'avel in a circular path about the axis of the arms 17 and thetans travel in a straight path so that the vents move in a pathtangential to the path of the points of the soldering coppers. Wherethese two paths meet the track H is provided on its upper surface with adepression 52 best shown in Fig. 8. ll'hen the roller 51 of any of theextensions $8 of an arm l6 reaches the depression 52 it will ride downthe walls thereof and the weight of the soldering copper will cause thelatter to tall a proportionate distance due to the turning of the arm toon its pivot under the action of the weight of the soldering copper.hile the arm l6 moves about a pivot and so its outer end describes anarc the soldering copper is constrained to move in a vertical line beause the tube 19 is guided in the neck 18. The extent ot movement of thesoldering copper in a vertical direction sutlicient to bring its pointinto contact with the can at the vent therein. and assuming that thesoldering copper is sutficiently heated and that it supplied with meltedsolder then a drop of solder deposited at the vent hole of the fill andthe latter is suitably sealed. .is the soldering coppers are rotatedabout the axis of the arms 17 the pinions 20 are maintained inengagement with the circular rail:

1-5 and consequently the coppers are also roi tated about their own axesso that they have an axial and an orbital rotation. Consequently whenthe soldering copper is brought into operative relation to the vent holeot a can it momentarily held in engagement therewith and at the sametime given a rotative movement about its own axis so as to distributethe solder and thoroughly heat the adjacent portions of the can so as tocause a firm uniting of the solder with all parts of the. walls of thevent hole. By this means the vent hole very e'l't'ectively closed.

It becomes necessar from time to time to clean the points of the,uoldering coppers. For this purpose there is provided at someconvenient point in the path of the travel of the coppers a receptacle53 which may conveniently be supported upon a stand at upheld by a stemheld to an arm pro ecting from the bracket 6 by a set screw 57.

The receptacle no may contain a quantity of pose of cleaning the pointsof the soldering coppers.

Atan appropriate point in the track 4:1 there is formed a depression 58best shown in Fig. 5 wiere it is indicated by dotted lines. At thispoint the track may be thinned by a suitable recess on one face asindicated at and in this recess is seated a gate having a hingeconnection at one end to the corresponding end wall of the recessindicated at (31, and this gate is urged in an upward direction by aspring ("2 so that normally the upper edge of the gate is coincidentwith the active or top surface of the track. The end of the gate remotefrom its hinge is formed with a tongue 63 extending through a guidingyoke (.34 fast on the side 0t the track within the recess 59. The gate(30 is moved against the action of the spring (32 by means of a handle65 within reach of the operator. When the handle is properly manipulatedit will carry the gate downward about its hinge 31 in opposition to theaction of the spring (32, thus permitting the rollers 51 to drop intothe recess when they r ach the latte' and the soldering coppers thengravitate a corresponding distance downward. Since the vessel apiropriately located the descending coppers will be plunged into thefluid within the vessel 53 point first to a depth agreeable to theextent of the depres sion 58 into the tack ll. By omitting the gate thecoppers would always at some point in their rotation be dipped into thecleaniiig fluid. but as such ott repeated dipping unnecessary the gateis supplied so that the coppers are prevented from being dipped into thecleaning fluid except at the volition of the operator who has but todethe pedal (37 to open the gate and cause ie coppers one after anotherand as many as desired and as many times as desired to be dipped intothe cleaning fluid. As soon as the pedal released the spring (32 willause the gate to return to its initial position and this spring is amplystrong to o\'er come the weight of a coppe and its coacting parts.

it is desir; ble that suitable solder should be ted to the solderingcoppers in predetermined quantity at the proper time inter; 'al beforethe operation oi the soldering iron or copper. For this purpose there isprovided the structure shown in Fig. 1. This solder feeder consists of asuitable post or support or frame work (33 which may be p tl " made upof two spaced plates secured to gether. In the drawing one of the twoplates has been omitted to expose the parts housed between them. but itwill be understood that this part of the structure may be variouslyformed to carry the operating parts. and at best is merely a supportingframework. The lower end of the support 68 is formed with a stud 69entering a socket in a bracket 70 fast on the track section 2 and thereheld by a set screw 71.

At an appropriate point in the frame 60 there .is journaled a shortshaft 72 on which is secured a ratchet wheel 73 and a small roller 74,the periphery of which may be milled or otherwise roughened for apurpose which will presently appear. The upper end of the support orframework 68 is suitably shaped to receive a sliding block 75 carryingthe shaft or pintle '76 of a roller 77, the periphery of which may bemilled or otherwise roughened like that of the roller 74. A thumb screw78 is mounted in the upper end of the frame or support 68 and serves toforce the block 75 and the roller 77 in a direction toward the roller74, these two rollers being in the same vertical plane, while theratchet wheel 78 is to one side of the vertical plane of the tworollers. The rollers 74 and 77 are designed to grasp between them astrand of string or ribbon solder 79 and this solder may be if desiredof a type containing an appropriate quantity of flux so as to cause itto adhere readily both to the soldering copper and to the walls of thevent hole of the can when brought into contact therewith in a meltedcondition. In order that the solder strand may be suitably guided thereare provided blocks 80 on opposite sides of the frame or support 68 inthe path of travel of said solder, and these blocks may be suitablyshaped to guide the solder toward the soldering coppers. Furthermore,the block 80 adjacent to the soldering coppers may be provided with atubular extension 81 through which the strand of solder is guided untilin close relation to the soldering copper.

In the lower portion of the frame 68 there is pivoted a lever 82 thelower end of which projects laterally from the frame at substantiallyright angles to the direction of the travel of the cans 5. The lever 82is controlled by another lever 83 movable about a vertical pivot andhaving its free end 84 appropriately bent to normally be in the path ofthe cans 5 so that when engaged by the latter it will be moved in adirection to actuate the lever 82 against the tendency of a spring 85connected to the lever 83 and tending to maintain its end 84 alwayswithin the path of the cans 5. The end of the lever 82 remote from thatcontrolled by the lever 83 carries a gravity pawl 86 in engagement withthe teeth of the ratchet wheel 78. Of course a spring pawl might be usedin place of a gravity pawl, but the gravity pawl is found to answer thepurpose and also saves the use of an additional spring. The extent ofmovement of the lever 82 may be controlled by an adjusting thumb screw87. \Vhen a can ate the same the lever 82 is rocked on its pivot to anextent to carry the pawl 86 in a direction to move the ratchet wheel 7 3in an active sense. \Vhen the pressure of the can on the lever 88 isremoved by the passing of the can beyond the lever, then the spring 85becomes active to return the parts to normal position and the pawl 86will move over one or more teeth of the ratchet wheel, depending on theposition of the adjusting screw 7. By this means a definite amount ofsolder may be fed on the passing of the cans by the lever 83, and thisamount of solder may be adjusted within the limits of the size of theteeth of the ratchet wheel 17 and the extent of movement of theadjusting screw 7.

The invention thus provides a means whereby a moving series of cans inproperly spaced relation one to the other will engage the arms 14 and soimpart rotative movement to the hub 13 and to the sleeve 12, thence tothe sleeve 15 and the arms 17 carrying the soldering coppers, while atthe same time the coppers are given rotative movement about theirindividual axes. The coppers are maintained at the proper heat by meansof the burning fluid constantly supplied through the pipes 25 andnozzles 26, the flame being interior to the point of the solderingcopper and so having no oxidizing or other deleterious effects upon thesolder. As the soldering coppers approach the cans each copper is firstbrought into engagement with the solder being fed by the solder feedingapparatus and an appropriate amount of solder is melted off and flowsdown to the point of the soldering copper under consideration. Thedepression 52 of the track 44 being now in the path of the roller of theparticular arm 46 supporting the soldering copper under considerationthe same copper is permitted to drop on to the can and the point engagesthe can at the vent hole. The solder is distributed immediately aroundthe vent hole by the axial rotation of the soldering copper and for avery short time interval the travel of the can and of the solderingcopper are so nearly in the same line that for all practical purposesthe point of the soldering copper while in contact with the can rotatesin coincidence with the vent hole. As soon as the paths of the solderingcopper and the can begin to diverge the rising side of the depression 52is reached and the copper is elevated from engagement with the can. Inthe meantime the next succeeding soldering copper is approaching thenext succeeding can and its arm 46 has the corresponding roller 50moving into operative relation to the depression 52 so that the secondsoldering copper under consideration is brought into engagement with thesecond can and the soldering of the vent hole of said second canproceeds as described with relation to r the first can. the solderhaving been fed into operative relation to the second soldering copperin the meantime. So the operation continues from can to can insuccession and automatically, the cans themselves serving as theactuating means for the soldering mechanism. From time to time theoperator opens the gate 60 to cause the soldering irons to dip into thecleaning fluid, but this operation has already been described and neednot be repeated.

What is claimed is 1. In a can vent soldering machine, a circular seriesof soldering irons or coppers having both orbital and axial rotation, acircular track having at one point a constantly active depression, meanscoacting with the track for maintaining the soldering coppers in anelevated position except at the depression in the track, a conveyer forcans having a straight path pastthe series of coppers tangent to thepath of the points of the latter coincident with the depression in thetrack, and means actuated by cans upon the conveyer for causing rotationof the series of coppers.

2. In a can vent soldering machine, a circular series of soldering ironsor coppers having both orbital and axial rotation, a circular trackhaving at one point a constantly active depression and provided with acircular series of gear teeth on the inner face, means coacting withsaid track for maintaining the soldering coppers in an ele vatedposition except at the depression in the track, pinions, one for eachsoldering copper. said pinions being connected positively to each copperin constant engagement with the circular series of gear teeth or rack, aconveyer for cans having a straight path past the series of coppers andtangent to the path of the points of the latter coinci dent with thedepression in the track, and means actuated by the cans upon theconveyer for causing the rotation of the series of coppers.

In a can vent soldering machine, a cir cular series of soldering ironsor coppers having both orbital and axial rotation, a circular trackhaving at one point a constantly active depression and at another pointan other depression, a manually operable gate for normally maintainingthe second depression in the track inactive. means coacting with thetrack for naintaining the soldering coppers in an elevated positionexcept at the active depression in the track and responsive to thesecond named depression when the latter is active, a conveyer for canshaving a straight path past the series of coppers and angent to the pathof the points of the lat ter coincident with the depression in the trackwhich is constantly active, and means actuated by the cans upon theconveyer for causing the rotation of the series of coppers.

i. In a can vent soldering machine, a circular series of soldering ironsor coppers having both orbital and axial rotation, a circular trackhaving at one point a constantly active depression. means coacting withthe track for maintaining the soldering coppers in an elevated positionexcept at the depression in the t *ack, a conveyer for cans having astraight path past the series of coppers and tangent to the path of thepoints of the latter coincidentwith the depression in the track, meansactuated by the cans upon the conveyer for causing rotation oi theseries of coppers, and means also actuated by the cans upon the conveyerfor causing the feeding of solder to the soldering coppers.

5. In a can vent soldering machine, a circular series of soldering ironsor coppers having both orbital and axial rotation, a circular trackhaving at one point a constantly active depression and at another pointa normally inactive depression, manually operable means for maintainingthe second named depression in the normally inactive condition andcapable of rendering the said second named depression active, meanscoacting with the track for maintaining the soldering coppers in anelevated position except at the depression in the track which isnormally active and also responsive to the second named depression whenthe latter is active, means coincident with the second named depressionfor applying cleaning fluid to the soldering coppers, a conveyer for thecans having a straight path past the series of coppers and tangent tothe path of the points of the latter coincident with the first nameddepression in the track, means actuated by the cans upon the conveyerfor causing the rotation of the series ot coppers, and means actuated bythe cans For feeding solder to the coppers.

6. In a can vent soldering machine, a circular series of soldering ironsor coppers having orbital and axial rotation, means for supplying heatto the soldering coppers terminating within the latter and participatingin the orbital movement of said coppers, and means for causinglongitudinal axial movement of the coppers independent of the means forsupplying the heat.

7. In a can vent soldering machine, a circular series of soldering ironsor coppers having orbital and axial rotation, a pipe for supplying heatto each soldering copper and extending to and terminating within theinterior thereof, and means for causing longitudinal axial movement ofthe coppers independent of the pipe for supplying the heat.

8. In a can vent soldering machine, a cir cular series of hollowsoldering irons or oop pers, a tubular supportii'or each copper, a

pinion fast on the tubular support at the 7 end remote from the copper,a guide for the tubular support permitting longitudinal movementthereof, a supply pipe for heating fluid extending through the tubularsupport and into and terminating within the hollow head of the copper, acircular track having its continuity broken by a depression and alsohaving on its inner face a circular rack or series of gear teeth,engaged by the pinion of each copper, and a support for each copperupheld by the track and in turn holding said copper.

9. In a can soldering machine, a post or support, a rotatable sleevethereon, a rotatable series of spaced radial arms carried by one end ofthe sleeve, a series of radial arms carried by the other end of thesleeve and each terminating in a guiding neck, a tube in each neck onthe last named arms and movable longitudinally therein, a pinion carriedby one end of each tube, a hollow soldering iron or copper carried bythe other end of each tube, a fixed circular track having a depressionin its continuity and provided on its inner face with a circular rack orseries of gear teeth, said gear teeth being engaged by the pinions onthe upper ends of the tubes carrying the soldering coppers, adistributing drum for a heating medium mounted on the post and connectedto the ra dial arms for rotation therewith, fluid conveying pipesconnected to said distributing drum and extending axially through thetubular support and into the hollow coppers, and a carrier for thecoppers comprlsing arms underriding the pinions to uphold the tubes andcoppers at the other end thereof, said arms being provided withextensions overhanging the pinions and engaging the track and adapted tomove into the de ression therein to permit the gravitating o thesoldering coppers in a direction away from the track.

10. In a can soldering machine, a circular series of soldering irons orcoppers, a track for holding the coppers in a normally elevated positionand provided with a depression for permitting the coppers to fall at thepoint of depression in the track, a receptacle for a cleansing fluid orflux coincident with said depression, a gate for said depression havinga normal tendency toward a position for maintaing the normal continuityof the track, and means for moving the gate against its normal tendencyto a position to render the depression active.

11. In a can soldering machine, a circular series of soldering irons orcoppers having an orbital movement and also movable in the direction oftheir axes, a circular track for maintaining the soldering coppers in anelevated position, said track being provided at one point with adepression and reduced in thickness coincident with said depression, agate located in said depression and pivotally supported at one end, aspring normally maintaining the gate in a position to render the trackcontinuous and the depression inactive, and means for moving said gateto a position rendering the depression active, at the will of theoperator.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

A. IV. SMITH,

FRED SANDERS.

